Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-10-20
our greedy wills and gather the riches
snread hefhre usi

driven to the acknowledgment that
food must come first, gold afterwards.
We gathered few .handfuls, and
ploded on, planning how to come back
and secure the treasure before others
should find it. This we were conf
dent we could do, as that part of the
beach was seldom visited by boats, on
account Of the difficulty of approach,
and there was little to attract travel
ers on the landward side. 1t was
near night when the cabin of the ranch
came in sight. The owner, well fed
man, stood in the doorway and took a
leisurely survey.
II low you air snug lot" he said;
'your critter, l reckon, come in, n !
lowed there be some caved in strangers
follerin'."
The ranchman's bluntness was for
gotten when he led us into the one
room of the cabin and babe us ''sit
down and fall to-" Our supper of
smoking beef-steak, eggs, hot biscuit
and coffee dispatched. we wrapped
ourselves in our blankets, and, with
the sky for roof, slept soundly. In
the morning. having gratefully refused
the invitation to "stay by till yer
kinder coopered up" after breakfast
as substantial as the supper, we started
for San Francisco.
Weused our gold dust freely, for our
one thought was to keep our secret till
we could hurry back and secure the
prize. Lest we might attract the no.
tice of gold hunters, as eager as our
selves, we agreed to separate into two
parties, and deposit our dust in two
banks. Pat, who stood quite in awe
of Standish's business education and
quickness at figures, declared that he
would "howld on till what Misther
Sthandish agraed.'
Joes imperfect knowledge of the Ian
guage induced him to trust Standish al
so. We appointed place of rendez-
vous, and Standish went with Harry
to prospect for small vessel to take
us back to the gold beach. l took it
upon myself to keep an eye on Pat and
Joe, for feared that in that Babel,
San Francisco, they might meet COM
patriots, be thrown off their guard and
become confidential.
Standish found that strangers in the
city could not, Immediately command
the facilities we needed, and with Har-
RVS consent, decided to ask the advice
of a business acquaintance of his book
keeping days. As the assayer had pro-
nounced our specimens half pure gold,
Standish's friend promptly proposed
the formation of n company and prom
ised to push its interests. Papers were
drawn up, and the next morning our
party of five young men, comfortably
clothed, almost forgetting our recent
privations and exulting in the prospect
of laying hands on wealth that awaited
us, went aboard cutter, well found in
all we should need.
The captains sealed orders directed
him to put us ashore wherever Stan
dish should say. We beat up the coas
and lay to off the gold beach. Heavy
breakers and savage rocks, water worr
into every imaginable shape, forbade
our running in close. A boat was low
cred and the captain called for volun'
teers, from his crew. Three brave
} seamen stepped forward. my orders
are to land my passengers. said thu
captain. THAT seas no mill pond
The boat won't carry more'n three
+, landsmen. Who's for the first trip
We hastily drew lots. Standish ant
1 were left out. begged Harry to lie
me 60 in his place, but he pressed my
hand and scrambled over the side
Standish and stood on either side o
the captain, as he watched the boa
with the help of his glass, and reported
to us. After several attempts to lan'
had been made, az only good boatmel
could make them, the boat, we sup
posed, struck one of the treacherou
currents. became manageable. ant
| capsized. Had all the gold in tn
world been before me, it would hav
seemed as nothing when my onl.
brother was struggling in that boiling
: surf, that would in all probability b
his grave. How could write the It'd
: ings homeP Standish and / held
short consultation with the captain
Cant send in another boat" said he
'1'm short-handed enough now
! Trinidad's the highest landing an
! salt water sailor'd try to make" H
handed his glass to me and began t
give orders. looked, in the forlor
hope that l might distinguish some
thing of boat, crew or passengers, bu
7 had either been visible at all. it mus
y have been to more practiced ty
4 than mine. l raised the glass to com
Il mand the top of high bluff littl
= north of where the boatmen had trie
!, to land. There, clearly outline
it against the sky, was moving figure
Captain! what's thatP" l cried
isn't it possible some of those poo
fellows have got out alive2"
Couldn't have climbed that bluff,
he answered, taking the glass an
sweeping the shore "alow and aloft.
After moment the glass came to
rest, then slowly lowered as if som
object was being kept in focus. live
years in seconds then.
: Must be redskin," the capital
muttered. Cant drown a redskir
one " their eggshells I'll live in breal
ers that'd stave the staunchest bos
that's ever built. Thought I'd mad
, it right" and he again handed h
glass to me.
. could clearly discern an object ri
ing and falling on the water, an
: though taking an irregular cours